Various bisquaternary ammonium compounds are known in the prior art and the compounds disclosed in these patents have been employed as antistatic agents for fibers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,633; wetting and washing agents and as dressing for artificial silk, British Pat. No. 474,671; agents for treating clays to prevent swelling, U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,032; agents for imparting water resistant properties to felts, German Pat. No. 2,509,741; when employed as a perchlorate, as photographic sensitizers, U.S. Pat. No. 2,944,902; and as cleansing and nonirritating agents in mild cleansing compositions, U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,263. In this latter patent, the addition of alkyleneoxylated bisquaternary ammonium compounds to anionic and amphoteric detergents reduces the irritant properties of the detergents. None of these patents disclose the specific novel bisquaternary ammonium compounds of the present invention.